CHAPTER 9: TYPES AND LEVELS OF ENLIGHTENMENT
"The illusory ego falls away, yet nothing real is lost. Spirit, freed from its bonds, returns to Spirit, not as a dew-drop destined to form an insignificant particle of a vast ocean, but as the boundless returning to the boundless. The liberated consciousness expands to contain ‑- to be ‑- the entire universe! Could there ever, ever be a more glorious endeavour?"
-- John Blofeld
3.13 Tathagata-garbha and Alaya Consciousness
Original Text in Chinese
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心生滅者，依如來藏故有生滅心，所謂不生不滅，與生滅和合，非一非異，名爲阿黎耶識。
Literal Translation
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Due to Ru Lai Zang (Tathagata-garbha) there is the life-death aspect of the Heart. The birthless-deathless harmonizes with the life-death, not undifferentiated and not differentiated, and is called the alaya consciousness.
Interpretation
As the result of the Tathagata-garbha (Ju Lai Zang or Ru Lai Zang), or the Universal Storehouse, there arises the life-death attribute of the Universal Mind. In the Universal Mind there are two attributes, namely the birthless-deathless (bu sheng bu mie) attribute and the life-death (sheng mie) attribute. These two attributes harmonize with each other, becoming neither undifferentiated nor differentiated, and the resulting unity is called the alaya consciousness.
Commentary
The Chinese name for the Sanskrit term "Tathagata-garbha" is "Ru Lai Zang" (or "Ju Lai Zang"), which means "the Storehouse of the Universal Mind". This Universal Storehouse refers to that quality of the Universal Mind that stores all its myriad manifestations in the phenomenal world. In its transcendental aspect, the Universal Mind or Supreme Reality is undifferentiated and unified, but in its phenomenal aspect it is manifested as countless different and separate entities. The quality of the Universal Mind that allows these myriad manifestations to happen is the Universal Storehouse or Tathagata-garbha.
The Universal Storehouse, like the Universal Mind itself for which it is a feature, has two attributes. While the two attributes or aspects of the Universal Mind are transcendental reality and phenomenal world, the two attributes of the Universal Storehouse are birthless-deathless attribute and life-death attribute. As their names denote, the birthless-deathless attribute transcends life and death, time and space; whereas the life-death attribute is phenomenal and limited by karma.
In the Universal Storehouse, these two attributes harmonize with each other. By themselves, the birthless-deathless attribute is undifferentiated, and the life-death attribute differentiated. But when they harmonize into one organic unity, they become neither undifferentiated nor differentiated, and this unity is called alaya-vijnana ("Aliye Shi" in Chinese), or Storehouse Consciousness. This Storehouse Consciousness or alaya consciousness is an expression of the Universal Storehouse, which in turn is an expression of the Universal Mind.
In other words, seen from the other perspective, first we have the Universal Mind or Supreme Reality which is transcendental, immanent and undifferentiated. With the first cosmic transformation, the Universal Mind manifests as Universal Storehouse, which is both undifferentiated and differentiated. With the second cosmic transformation, the Universal Storehouse manifests as the alaya consciousness, which is neither undifferentiated nor differentiated. The alaya consciousness is the interface between the transcendental and the phenomenal. With the third cosmic transformation, the alaya consciousness manifests as the phenomenal world.
3.14 Enlightenment and Non-Enlightenment
Original Text in Chinese
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此識有二種義，能攝一切法，生一切法，云何爲二？一者覺義，二者不覺義。
Literal Translation
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This consciousness has two meanings, capable of manifesting all phenomena, creating all phenomena. What two? One, Enlightenment (jue). Two, non-Enlightenment (bu jue).
Interpretation
The alaya consciousness, which is capable of manifesting and creating all phenomena in the phenomenal world, can be understood in two ways, namely Enlightenment (jue) and non-Enlightenment (bu jue).
Commentary
While modern psychologists talk about the five sensory perceptions, and the conscious, subconscious and unconscious (or superconscious) mind, Buddhist masters since long ago have classified consciousness in many ways.
In one way of classification, there are eight types of consciousness:
- eye consciousness (caksur-vijnana)
- ear consciousness (srotra-vijnana)
- nose consciousness (ghrana-vijnana)
- tongue consciousness (jihva-vijnana)
- body consciousness (kaya-vijnana)
- conscious mind (mamo-vijnana)
- subconscious mind (manas-vijnana)
- storehouse consciousness (alaya-vijnana)
3.15 Original Enlightenment
Original Text in Chinese
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所言覺義者，謂心體離念。離念相者，等虛空界，無所不徧，法界一相，即是如來平等法身。依此法身說名本覺。
Literal Translation
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Enlightenment means the heart-body is away from thought. Away from characteristics means the realm of timelessness and void, omniscient and omnipresent, the unified realm of dharmadhatu (fa jie), i.e. the undifferentiated Dharmakaya (fa shen). This Dharmakaya is named the original Enlightenment (ben jue).
Interpretation
Seen from the viewpoint of the life-death attribute when we still live in the phenomenal world, Enlightenment means that our mind is free from verbalization and conceptualization. Being free from attachment to the distinctive characteristics of the phenomenal world enables us to experience the realm of timelessness and void, becoming omniscient and omnipresent, experiencing the unified world of cosmic reality (dharmadhatu, or fa jie), and merging into the undifferentiated Suchness (Dharmakaya, or fa shen). This kind of Enlightenment is called original Enlightenment (ben jue).
Commentary
The alaya consciousness is the cosmic interface between transcendental reality and the phenomenal world. After having purified ourselves from defilements, we arrive at the alaya consciousness. If we move "upward" towards the undifferentiated Supreme Reality, we free ourselves from verbalization and conceptualization which give rise to illusory differentiation, and free ourselves from our attachment to the distinctive characteristics of countless events and objects in the phenomenal world. If we move "downward" towards the phenomenal world, we immerse ourselves in the world of illusion.
Moving towards Cosmic Reality, we arrive at the realm of timelessness and void, transcending both time and space, and become omniscient and omnipresent ourselves! We have achieved spiritual realization of Cosmic Reality. Depending on the terms usually used in our own religious belief, we have attained Buddhahood, united with Brahman, merged with Tao, attained union with Allah, or returned to God.
This kind of Enlightenment or spiritual realization is called original Enlightenment. It is significant to note the word "original". This means spiritual realization is our natural birth-right, not something new or alien; it is with us all the while, the trouble is we have wandered away from it and have lost sight of our spiritual origin. Spiritual realization is returning to our divine source.
3.16 Actualized Enlightenment
Original Text in Chinese
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何以故？本覺義者，對始覺義說，以始覺者，即同本覺。 始覺義者，依本覺故而有不覺，依不覺故說有始覺。
Literal Translation
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Why is it so? Original Enlightenment (ben jue) is in contrast to actualized Enlightenment (shi jue). Actualized Enlightenment is the same as original Enlightenment. Actualized Enlightenment is because of original Enlightenment, hence non-Enlightenment (bu jue). Because of non-Enlightenment, there is actualized Enlightenment.
Interpretation
Why is "original Enlightenment" so called? This term is used in contrast to "actualized Enlightenment".
Actualized Enlightenment (shi jue) is actually the same as original Enlightenment (ben jue).
Why is actualized Enlightenment so called? This is because the term "original Enlightenment" necessarily denotes its counterpart "non-Enlightenment". Because of the concept of non-Enlightenment, there arises the counterpart concept of "actualized Enlightenment".
Commentary
The conciseness of classical Chinese is two fold. Terms are concise: one or two words are often used to represent a long phrase. For example, in the previous passage (No. 3.15), the Chinese term "heart-body" (xin ti) is used to represent "the Heart's life-death attribute which is the body of the alaya consciousness in the Supreme Reality". It is translated as "life-death attribute" in the above passage; but mis-informed scholars may translate it as "the mental and physical aspects of the aspirant", which is not appropriate here.
Secondly, information that intended readers were expected to have, was often not mentioned in classical Chinese. This might not present much difficulty to contemporary readers, but to modern readers many centuries away from the author, it can cause great problems. The problems are aggravated if the classical text is translated by someone not familiar with Chinese culture. Thus, without commentaries, very few people today (including modern Chinese scholars, unless they are also well versed in Mahayana philosophy) can understand the very concise language in "Awakening of Faith in Mahayana".
An example of such difficulty is found in the present passage (No. 3.16), which is explained below. The term "original Enlightenment" is so named because it is used in contrast to "actualized Enlightenment". Although we were originally Enlightened, because of our defilements accumulated over countless lives, we have lost sight of this original Enlightenment. But once we are aware of our spiritual potentiality, we start to cultivate and purify ourselves, until ultimately we activate the innate divine spark that is in us. To differentiate these two dimensions of Enlightenment, we call them original Enlightenment and actualized Enlightenment, but actually they are the same Enlightenment. When we actualize our Enlightenment, we do not find a new Enlightenment; we realize the Enlightenment that has been innate in us.
The concept of Enlightenment denotes its counterpart, non-Enlightenment. To put it another way, if there is no concept of Enlightenment, then there is no need for the concept of non-Enlightenment, and vice versa. Although we are all originally Enlightened beings, when we are not aware of this fact and have no direct experience of its reality, we can, for convenience of description, call this stage non-Enlightenment.
Because of the concept of non-Enlightenment, meaning not yet Enlightened, there arises the concept of actualized Enlightenment, or working towards Enlightenment. If there is no concept of "not yet Enlightened" or non-Enlightenment, then there is no need for the concept of "working towards Enlightenment" or actualizing Enlightenment. And when we have accomplished this important spiritual task, we find that what we have actualized is in fact our original Enlightenment.
3.17 Perfect and Non-Perfect Enlightenment
Original Text in Chinese
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又以覺心源故，名究竟覺。不覺心源故，非究竟覺。
Literal Translation
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Next, Enlightenment that is aware of the source of the Heart is called perfect Enlightenment; Enlightenment that is unaware of the source of the Heart is called non-perfect Enlightenment.
Interpretation
Next, we can classify types of Enlightenment in another way. Enlightenment in which the adept realizes completely the Universal Mind is called perfect Enlightenment (jiu jing jue); Enlightenment in which the adept does not realize completely the Universal Mind is called non-perfect Enlightenment (fei jiu jing jue).
Commentary
There is some debate over the meaning of "the source of the heart" or "xin yuan" (heart-source) among classical masters. The great commentator Fa Zang (also known as Xian Shou) explained that "xin" (heart) referred to the Heart's life-death attribute, or the phenomenal attribute of the Universal Mind; and "yuan" (source) to the Supreme Reality, or the transcendental attribute of the Universal Mind.
Another great commentator Zong Mi explained that "xin" referred to the One Heart, and "yuan" the source, together meaning the Universal Mind.
3.18 Enlightenment of the Initiated
Original Text in Chinese
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此義云何？如凡夫人覺知前念起惡故，能止後念令其不起。雖復名覺，即是不覺故。
Literal Translation
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What is the meaning? For example, a layman realizing that his earlier thoughts have brought evil deeds, is able to stop the evil thoughts. Although he can be said to be Enlightened, he is still not Enlightened.
Interpretation
What is the meaning of non-perfect Enlightenment? One example is like a layman who realizes that his evil thoughts have resulted in evil deeds, thus generating bad karma. So he is able to stop future evil thoughts from arising in his mind, thereby effectively putting a stop to future evil deeds and preventing the worsening of his karma. This is some form of Enlightenment, but he is still not Enlightened.
Commentary
This first level of non-perfect Enlightenment is now popularly called "Enlightenment of the initiated" (nei fan jue), though this term is not mentioned by Asvaghosha in his treatise. By saying he is initiated is meant that he now realizes the significance of moral or spiritual cultivation. Compared to the uninitiated, i.e. those who deny moral or spiritual training, this person is Enlightened, because he understands the effect of karma, whereas the uninitiated in their ignorance continues to sow evil seeds, thus sinking lower and lower into a quagmire.
However, he cannot be said to be an Enlightened person, because, for example, he does not fully understand the purpose of spiritual cultivation.
3.19 Enlightenment of Resemblance
Original Text in Chinese
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如二乘觀智，初發意菩薩等，覺於念異，念無異相，以捨粗分別執著相故，名相似覺。
Literal Translation
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Like those holding the view and wisdom of Hinayana, or bodhisattvas of the early developmental stages, who realize that thoughts are differentiated, and whose thoughts are undifferentiated, see the rough but still have attachment; hence theirs is called "Enlightenment of resemblance" (xiang si jue).
Interpretation
The second form of Enlightenment refers to the Enlightenment of those adepts holding Hinayanist view and wisdom, or of bodhisattvas who are at the early stages of their spiritual development. They realize the illusion of the phenomenal world, and they are able to experience the undifferentiated, transcendental aspect of Cosmic Reality, but their realization is not yet refined because they still have attachment to dharmas or to self. This kind of Enlightenment is called "Enlightenment of resemblance" (xiang si jue).
Commentary
According to Mahayana thinking, the teaching of Hinayana (or Theravada as it is usually called now) is only a preparatory stage for the deeper teaching of Mahayana. Two crucial points that Hinayanists fail to accomplish are universal salvation and liberation from dharmas.
Mahayanists believe that Hinayanists succeed in personal Enlightenment but do not actively help others to achieve Enlightenment; and that Hinayanists have liberated themselves from attachment to self (i.e. they believe that self is illusory), but fail to liberate themselves from attachment to dharmas (i.e. fail to realize that even the dharmas, or sub-atomic particles and forces that make up the phenomenal world, are illusory).
Hinayanists believe that dharmas are real, though they exist only momentarily. Mahayanists believe that dharmas are an illusion of the mind, and do not exist in transcendental reality. The ultimate aim of the Hinayanist is nirvana, which is to see reality as it is; whereas the ultimate aim of the Mahayanist is Buddhahood, which is nothing short of becoming one with the Eternal Buddha or Supreme Reality.
The meaning of "bodhisattva" as used here is different from that today. The modern meaning of a Bodhisattva is one who has been perfectly Enlightened, i.e. one who has become the Buddha, but because of his or her profound compassion, he or she chooses to be reincarnated again and again so as to help other sentient beings to attain Buddhahood. Hence, a Bodhisattva still has attachment to self, which is necessary as he or she desires to help others.
A bodhisattva during Asvaghosha's time, as shown in this treatise, might not necessarily be perfectly Enlightened; his most important feature, nevertheless, is deep compassion. Here the term "bodhisattva" therefore can be loosely applied to Mahayanists, who, unlike Hinayanists, regard Enlightenment not as a personal achievement but a cosmic responsibility. A Bodhisattva has vowed to help humanity, irrespective of their religions, and other beings to achieve salvation. His spiritual training consists of ten stages, known as the "Ten Stages of Bodhisattva", explained by the Indian master, Vasubandhu (or Shi Qin in Chinese, c.420-500) in his work, "Dasabhumi Sutra" ("Shi Di Jing" or "Scripture of the Ten Stages"), and popularized by the Chinese master, Hui Guang (468-537).
The Ten Stages of Bodhisattva are:
- Joy (pramudita, or fan xi di).
The Bodhisattva experiences the joy of having the right view for spiritual development. - Purity (vimala, or li gou di).
He (or she) attains perfection in discipline and morality. - Illumination (prabha-kari, or fa guang di).
He acquires introspective wisdom, and becomes free from errors. - Insight (virya, or yan hui di).
He deepens his courage and insight. - Invincibility (sudurjaya, or nan sheng di).
He attains perfection of meditation, resulting in the understanding of empirical truth and higher truth. - Mental Presence (abhimukhi, or xian qian di).
He attains perfection of equanimity. - Far-Going (duran-gama, or yuan xing di).
He completes the perfection of expediency, and exercises great compassion to all beings. - Immovability (acala, or bu dong di).
He completes the perfection of his vows and acquires the ability of omnipresence. - Wisdom (sadhumati, or shan hui di).
He attains perfection of power and wisdom, thus becoming omnipotent and omniscient. - Ideal Cloud (dharma-megha, or fa yun di).
He preaches the ideal teaching or Dharma to all beings, like rain clouds bringing rain during a drought.
3.20 Enlightenment of Convergence
Original Text in Chinese
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如法身菩薩等，覺於念住，念無住相，以離分別粗念相故，名隨分覺。
Literal Translation
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Like Bodhisattvas of the Dharmakaya, who realize the attachment of thoughts, their minds are free from characteristics, and liberated from the illusion of thoughts and characteristics. This is named "Enlightenment of convergence" (sui fen jue).
Interpretation
The third form of Enlightenment is like that of the Bodhisattvas of the advanced developmental stages, who realize the illusion of the phenomenal world, and being free from the delusion of the countless differentiated characteristics of phenomena, experience the transcendental aspect of the Supreme Reality. This form of Enlightenment is called "Enlightenment of convergence" (sui fen jue).
Commentary
Dharmakaya, or "fa shen" in Chinese, refers to the spiritual body of the Buddha, which means the Supreme Reality. Bodhisattva of the Dharmakaya refer to Mahayanist adepts who have attained the highest levels of spiritual training.
A person who places "attachment to thoughts" has a deluded mind; thus he sees reality not in its transcendental aspect but as the phenomenal world. A person who is "free from characteristics" has the higher wisdom of seeing through the countless illusory characteristics of phenomena, thereby experiencing the transcendental aspect of cosmic reality. This form of spiritual realization is called "Enlightenment of convergence", meaning that it converges with, or is very close to, perfect Enlightenment.
3.21 Becoming a Buddha
Original Text in Chinese
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如菩薩地盡，滿足方便，一念相應，覺心初起，心無初相，以遠離微細念故，得見心性。心即常住，名究竟覺。
Literal Translation
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Like having completed the ten stages of the Bodhisattva's training, and fulfilled all expedient means, the Bodhisattvas harmonize with one thought. Their original Enlightenment arises, and they become free from the original thought, liberated from the faintest delusion, and see the origin nature of the Heart. The Heart is omniscient and omnipresent, and this is called perfect Enlightenment.
Interpretation
This is the highest form of Enlightenment, like the Enlightenment of the Bodhisattvas who, having fulfilled all expedient means towards Buddhahood, have completed all their ten stages of spiritual training.
Their final thought of actualizing Enlightenment harmonizes with their original Enlightenment. They are now free from the original thought which first started the cosmic transformation at the alaya consciousness.
As they are now free from this primordial thought which first deluded their minds, starting the chain of transformations that create the phenomenal world, they are liberated from the faintest delusion and attain realization of the Universal Mind, which is omniscient and omnipresent. This form of Enlightenment is called perfect Enlightenment (jiu jing jue).
Commentary
Enlightenment may be perfect or non-perfect. In perfect Enlightenment, spiritual realization of the Supreme Reality is total and complete; whereas in non-perfect Enlightenment, it is not.
Non-perfect Enlightenment is the preparatory steps to the final perfect Enlightenment, and may be classified into three types. Although the progress from ignorance to Enlightenment can be arbitrarily divided into numerous stages, and the progress from one stage to another is usually (but not always) gradual, these four types of Enlightenment illustrate typical levels of spiritual development.
The first level is known as "Enlightenment of the initiated", when a layman experiences his first spiritual awareness, but he has little or no knowledge of Cosmic Reality.
A major break-through is achieved when he progresses to the level where he realizes that the phenomenal world is illusory, and this awareness which is typically different from the previous level is called the "Enlightenment of resemblance". This Enlightenment is a resemblance and non-perfect because although he has discarded his attachment to phenomena, which is indeed a tremendous spiritual achievement, he still has not discarded his attachment to self. In other words, he sees reality as it really is, as undifferentiated and impartial, but he still sees it as an individual, from the perspective of his own self.
At the next level, his spiritual realization is further deepened, but is typically different, as he fully realizes that his personal identity is also an illusion, and that he is actually an integral and organic part of the Supreme Reality. Nevertheless, for some specific reasons, like wishing to relieve the suffering of other beings or help them to attain Enlightenment, he chooses to exist as an individual. In other words, although he is now aware of the attachment to self, and can free himself from it if he wants to, he still remains attached to it. He may exist as a human or in other physical forms, or in astral forms like gods or other divine beings. (Not all astral beings, however, are Enlightened.)
This form of spiritual realization is called "Enlightenment of convergence", converging at perfect Enlightenment. When this highly Enlightened being has expended his last karmic force, such as having fulfilled his last vow to save humanity, he finally discards his attachment to self and attains perfect Enlightenment; he becomes the Buddha, which is the Supreme Reality. This does not mean that a new Buddha is created, or that this being adds his own stuff (whatever it may be) to the existing stuff of the Supreme Reality. Neither does it mean that this being disintegrates, becomes extinguished, a concept many misinformed people may have regarding nirvana or Buddhahood.
At perfect Enlightenment, he returns to his original divine source. The perfectly Enlightened being, who is now the Buddha, may appear again in the world if it is desirable, as has happened countless times in past aeons with the coming of many historical Buddhas.
The Eternal Buddha, or the Supreme Reality, has always been, is, and will always be there, here, and everywhere. Nothing is added or subtracted between the phenomenal world and transcendental reality; they are two aspects of the same Supreme Reality. That perfectly Enlightened being, like all of us and everything, is an expression of the Supreme Reality. We are unaware of this great cosmic truth because of our ignorance, because our minds have been shrouded by layers and layers of defilement.
Purifying our minds for this awareness and direct experience is spiritual fulfilment. John Blofeld, explaining spiritual realization in Taoism, which is actually applicable to any religion, describes this concept poetically. The aim is to return to the Source by undergoing an apotheosis that can be best be hinted at in words. The illusory ego falls away, yet nothing real is lost. Spirit, freed from its bonds, returns to Spirit, not as a dew-drop destined to form an insignificant particle of a vast ocean, but as the boundless returning to the boundless. The liberated consciousness expands to contain ‑- to be ‑- the entire universe! Could there ever, ever be a more glorious endeavour?
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